It could only happen in Greece

Travelling. As rewarding as it is immersing yourself in a different country and a different culture, it can be a difficult thing. Add five kids to the mix and it's downright madness. Five kids can get up to all kinds of mischief. In a different country, where the young ones are seeing new and exotic things, they can't help but get themselves involved. Or in trouble...

On a trip to Greece last year, my family and I ventured to many gorgeous places all over the country. But taking my kids to the beach was the one place I least expected any of them to get up to mischief. And it's not that they are cheeky kids, they are curious more than anything. It was this curiosity that got the better of my then four-year-old son Vasili.

There we were on the beautiful, picturesque beach of Siviri in the gorgeous region of Chalkidiki. I was lapping up the sun, enjoying relaxing on the beach and taking time out to sunbathe, and not much else. Next thing I know my son is standing in front of me holding a prosthetic leg! I couldn't believe my eyes. My first reaction was to laugh to myself, only in Greece could something so bizarre happen, I thought. Apparently, Vasili had seen the man's girlfriend put the prosthetic leg on a chair and instead of leaving it there, Vasili was curious and brought it over to me.

Before I knew it, I was walking along the beach carrying this prosthetic leg over my shoulder trying to find who it belonged to. I was scouring the beach looking for a one-legged man. Who was the owner of this leg? Everyone on the beach was in hysterics laughing at me as I frantically looked for a man with a missing leg. At this stage I wasn't red because I'd been sitting in the sun too long, I was red with embarrassment. I couldn't believe Vasili could do such a thing!

In the far distance, a man was waving at me. It was the one-legged man! I found him! He was a German tourist who was very understanding and nice about it all, which was very lucky for us. There are so many things about Greece I treasure, moments that will stay with me forever. But this experience was definitely a first for me and and an experience that could only happen in Greece.

The fortunate thing about it happening in Greece was how well everyone took it. Their humour and laid-back attitude made an incident that was one of the more embarrassing moments of my life turn into a funny experience and a memory I will never forget so long as I live.